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VIDEO: Doughty, Benn, Weber give Canada 3-1 win over Norway in Sochi

Canada started off its gold medal defence with a close shave over a plucky Norway team led by the New York Rangers' Mats Zuccarello.
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Duncan Keith played 16:39 for Team Canada on Thursday


It wasn't totally pretty, but the score probably doesn't tell the whole tale.

Put beside the Americans' 7-1 throttling of Slovakia or even Finland's eight-goal outpouring against Austria, Canada's 3-1 win over a seemingly hopeless Norwegian team looks pretty lame. Like a shot duck. But then again, this Norway team was much better than the same national squad that was handed its own butt by Canada in 2010, when it lost 8-0. This Norway team was even better than the Swiss team that took Canada to a shootout in 2010, too. This Norway team... was actually pretty good.

Canada still brought it when it had to, outshooting Norway 38-20. Goalie Lars Haugen was outstanding, and the Scandinavians threw some pretty slick players Canada's way, including captain Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, New York Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello (who may have just own some more ice-time from coach Alain Vigneault), and a couple brothers with the last name Olimb, which sounded a lot like Ohlund when Jim Hughson said it, and that really confused me.

Shea Weber opened the scoring for Canada. Jamie Benn and Drew Doughty added nifty follow-ups. Patrick Thoresen scored for Norway.

They're all below...

CANADA GOAL: Shea Weber makes its 1-0

CANADA GOAL: Jamie Benn makes it 2-0

NORWAY GOAL: Patrick Thoresen makes it 2-1

CANADA GOAL: Drew Doughty makes it 3-1